Chapter 31
Peeta's P.O.V.
So apparently Jeni has been talking a lot about Katniss with my dad and made him curious. He asked me to ask her to come to dinner at his house.
Jeni and my dad talks a whole lot to be siblings, especially for being so many years apart. I talk a lot too and of course I've mentioned Katniss, to my dad and my brothers, but Jeni must have told them so much more than I did.
Anyway, I promised my dad that I'd ask her and that's what I'm about to do right now.
After our talk two days ago we've been closer than ever before. And it was the first time we ever said we love each other. When I saw Katniss cry, I had to make a real effort not to start crying myself. It was so heart wrecking it physically hurt to see the crystal clear tears flow down her big silvery eyes and hear those small choked sobs coming out of her throat.
At first I tried to ignore her but I couldn't. I can't ignore the girl I love. She's too wonderful and innocent.
One time I did have a chance of having a girlfriend. But before I could have real feelings for her I realized that her feelings for me was not real. It hurt me so much and I thought that I'd never find a girl with real feelings for me. Maybe that's why I liked Katniss even when she didn't like me, when she strongly disliked me, and when we became friends I knew that it wasn't because I'm me, famous and all. And that means so much to me.
As I enter the kitchen I find the others there. Katniss is sitting on the counter with a bowl of grapes in her hand, looking tiredly at Cato who's holding up a toaster.
"You can't even make toast", Cato says. "Look at this!"
Gale was holding up something black and disgusting. It takes me a minute to realize that it's a piece of burnt bread. Something tells me that Katniss tried to make breakfast again, but the others stopped her before she could start the fire alarm again.
"What's going on?" I ask amused as I cross my arms over my chest with a grin on my face.
"Well this one right here tried to make toast", Madge says looking at Katniss who just shrugs her shoulders while popping a grape into her mouth. "Maybe one of the easiest things you could make, one would think".
"I guess the only thing I can make is water", she says and I chuckle.
"That's because it already exists, either you take a bottle or a glass and fill it with water", Gale says.
"Oh come on", I say, walking up to Katniss. "Everyone can't be good at everything".
"But you're good at baking, cooking, painting, singing", Katniss lists up. "And let's not forget math".
"Yeah that's right, Katniss is your student", Annie giggles.
"I thought it was illegal to date your teacher in this state", Marvel says devilish.
Katniss rolls her eyes and make a tired, irritated sound.
"Just shut up", she says. "I'll date him as much as I want and do what I want".
"Aha", Cato says wiggling his eyebrows.
I could tell them that Katniss and I haven't had sex yet, to shut them up. But I really don't see how that's any of their business, so I just keep my mouth shut.
"Let's leave the love birds alone", Finnick says and takes Annie's hand.
The others shrugs their shoulders and walk out of the kitchen.
"You do realize that they always diss my food", Katniss says to me when we're alone.
"Yes, but I don't", I point out. "I ate the egg you made yesterday, remember?"
"If you can call it that", she giggles. "I thought you were going to pass out".
"Oh I'm stronger than that", I say slyly and she puts her hands around my neck, pulling me closer to her. "There's not a whole lot that could kill me, well besides pineapple of course".
She wraps her legs around my waist as she's still sitting on the counter.
"Oh yeah?" She asks raising her eyebrows.
"Oh yeah", I say, brushing hair away from her beautiful face.
She's so beautiful. I don't really understand how this happened. How my life got so much better, even though my mom makes me feel so bad about myself.
But Katniss and my friends makes me feel so much better.
"Katniss?"
"Yeah?" Katniss asks, looking at me with a warm smile.
"My dad wanted me to invite you to dinner tonight", I say. "But only if you want to, of course".
"That sounds lovely", Katniss says. "I would love to".
I've never heard her say that word. It sounds really cute actually.
"My dad will be really happy, I think that Jeni must have told him a lot more than I've had a chance to do", I say.
"Will your mother be there?" She asks with something poisonous in her voice.
"No, she's visiting her sister in Canada", I say, feeling the relief wash over me as I say these words out loud. "So it's actually going to be great, my dad is the best and my brothers ... They're clowns but they're also the best".
"It's going to be fun to meet them", Katniss says and kisses me on my lips. I kiss her back of course but keep it short, in case we have some trolls eavesdropping on us. "What should I wear?" She asks when she pulls away from the kiss.
"Just whatever you want", I say. "You really do not have to dress up".
"Okay", she says and hops off the counter and gestures over her body with her hands. "Will this do?"
She's wearing a pair of tight green jeans and an orange/yellow crop top. I want to tell her that it will do more than perfect. And how sexy she looks in those tight jeans, but I better keep it to myself.
"Of course", I tell her and nod. "Anything you wear will do".
She smiles sweetly at me and kisses my cheek. God I love this girl.
***
I feel Katniss nervousness reach me when I pull up in the driveway to my fathers house. Her leg are shaking and she looks around nervously.
Before we sat in the car she said she was fine, but during the drive she started to shake her leg and look out of the window with nervous eyes.
"It's going to be okay", I say. "They're not going to cook you".
"I just want to make a good impression, I don't want them to think that I'm a gold digger", she says quietly.
"Katniss I assure you that they do not and will not think that", I say seriously. "You're nothing like that so don't even think that for a second, you're the most genuine girl I've ever known".
"I've never done this before, meeting my boyfriend's family because I've never had one", Katniss says looking at me. "I'm new with all of this and I don't want to do it wrong".
"Just be yourself and it will not go wrong", I assure her, and stroke her cheek.
I open my car door and step out into the sun. Katniss steps out as well and hurry over to my side and slide her hand into mine.
I lead her to the door and bring up my key. I put it in the lock and open it. When I open the door the scent of chicken curry stew hits our noses like a bomb.
God. My dads cooking is so good. He has taught me everything I know about cooking and baking. Ever since I was very little I've been with him in the bakery, watching my dad and how he baked and learnt.
I think that my dad is happy that I got the interest because my brothers does not have it. They both have jobs, but they help dad out in the bakery as well. I try to help as much as I possibly can.
"Dad!" I shout as I help Katniss off with her jacket. "We're here".
As I start to take off my own jacket, dad comes walking out of the kitchen and towards us with a big smile.
"Finally!" He says happily. He stops in front of us and smiles towards Katniss, reaching out his big hand to her. "You have to be Katniss".
Katniss smiles her sweet smiles and nods.
"I am, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you mr Mellark", she says.
Dad chuckles and shakes his head no.
"We're not very formal in this family, so Katniss please just call me Stephen", he says. "And it's a pleasure to meet you too finally, I've heard so much about you from Peeta and my sister Jeni".
Before Katniss can say anything the sound of running steps fills our ears as my brothers both wrestle each other down the stairs and trying to get down first.
Logan pushes James forward so he misses the two lasts steps and face plants with his face straight into the wall in front of him.
"Jerk!" James says and hits his little brothers head.
"Stop it you two", dad says.
"And you'd think James still lives here, but he doesn't, he lives with his pregnant girlfriend", I tell Katniss. "And yet, he's behaving like a three year old".
"Are you trash talking me?" James asks and moves closer.
"Oh no, you do that so good yourself", I tease. "Nice face plant bro". I give him my thumb up and he rolls his eyes.
"It was his fault", James says, pointing accusingly at Logan.
"How you're about to become a father is beyond me", I say and slip my hand into Katniss. "This is Katniss by the way".
"Nice to meet you", James says politely and smiles at Katniss.
"I hope you're good to our baby brother", Logan says.
"Yes she is", I say firmly.
"The dinner is almost ready", dad says and starts walking back to the kitchen.
When Logan turns around and starts walking towards the kitchen, James puts out his foot in front I'm him and Logan falls with his face first down onto the floor.
"Please tell me you're not going to teach your kid to do this", I say tiredly to James.
"Of course not, but Logan pushed me into the wall", James says, and looks at Katniss. "We're not always like this but brothers will be brothers".
"At least you don't have a little sister to worry about all the time", Katniss says.
"And I take it you do?" James says.
Katniss nods.
"She's fourteen and boys has started to take interest in her and I do not like that at all", she says with a sigh.
We walk into the kitchen, leaving Logan on the floor. But when I enter the kitchen I can see in the corner of my eye that he's already on his feet and walking towards us.
I already see how well Katniss fits with my family. It's making me really happy to see that. I just hope that she will never meet my mother.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
✍🏻1892 words✍🏻
Hey guys, I hope you liked the chapter.
It wasn't that good because I hastened through it because I'm Ina bad mood, sad, and just ugh!
Anyway just please vote and comment.
-Josephine xx